It is desirable for motor vehicle consoles to include storage compartments for storing loose items and receptacles for housing accessories such as radios, tape decks, CD players, citizens' band radios, and the like. Including such items and accessories within a floor or instrument panel console allows vehicle occupants to easily see and reach the items and accessories while the vehicle is underway.
Current consoles include fixed storage compartments for loose items and permanent receptacles and mounting systems for various accessories. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,143 issued Apr. 21, 1992 to Soeters discloses an automotive floor console including a main body 20 with storage compartments 27, 28. The storage compartments 27, 28 are fixed within the console main body 20. The Soeters floor console includes no provision for allowing occupants to interchange storage modules.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,473 issued Dec. 16, 1975 to Hogan discloses an adjustable center armrest unit with "wings" 7 that adjust laterally outward from a main body portion 1 revealing a fixed, non-removable storage compartment 27. As with the Soeters console, and other consoles in the prior art of record, the Hogan console does not provide for the interchange of storage or accessory modules.
What is needed is a console system that allows occupants to select various interchangeable storage and accessory modules that the occupants can then have access to while the vehicle is under way.